France Backs Annan on 'Illegal' Iraq WarPARIS, Sept 17 (AFP) - France on Friday backed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's description of the US-led war on Iraq as "illegal", with Foreign Minister Michel Barnier saying that long-held stance was why his country had opposed joining the conflict.
"You well know that what explains our country's disagreement with the way the war was carried out was that it clearly did not at that time abide by international law and there was not a clear request from the United States to start that action," he said at a joint news conference with visiting New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff.
That was "traditionally" France's view from the start, he added. "We have always considered that it's international law that constitutes the framework for any action, notably against terrorism or for stability in the world," he said.
Barnier's comments added fuel to a debate over the legitimacy of the US-British invasion of Iraq that promises to loom large at the United Nations headquarters in New York next week when world leaders and ministers gather for the world body's 59th general session.
Annan threw the spotlight back on the issue and tore the skin off old transatlantic wounds when he told BBC radio Wednesday that the United States had failed to seek a needed second resolution before launching the war in March 2003.
"I've indicated that it was not in conformity with the UN charter from our point of view, and from the charter point of view it was illegal," Annan said.
The US government hit back by claiming it considered that a previous UN resolution passed four months before the conflict gave it sufficient authority to wage its action because Saddam Hussein had refused to surrender suspected stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
After a year and a half of US troop deployment in Iraq, no such weapons have been found.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, said Thursday that the UN chief should have kept silent on the topic.
The debate has re-ignited simmering animosity between the pro- and anti-war camps. France -- a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council along with the United States -- was widely perceived as the leader of the latter camp because of highly publicised arguments made at the time by Barnier's predecessor, Dominique de Villepin, questioning the US justification for a pre-emptive invasion.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a staunch supporter of the war, was particularly scathing of Annan's comment, saying he saw the United Nations as a "paralysed" body.
Goff, speaking at Barnier's side, emphasised that, unlike Australia, his country "was not a member of the coalition of the willing" and that it "has always regarded that as being critical in finding multilateral solutions to the world's problems".
"Any shortcomings of the United Nations can't simply be blamed on the institution itself but rather on the readiness of international community members to work through that institution," he said, adding that "it would have been helpful to have had a second resolution to clarify" the legality of the Iraq war.
Goff said that 61 military engineers from New Zealand who had contributed to the reconstruction effort in Iraq at the United Nations' request would be returning home this month after a year's tour of duty near the southern city of Basra.
"It is possible that defence forces in terms of reconstruction and humanitarian work may be redeployed in Iraq sometime in the future," he said. "But at the current time our major commitment is in the area of Afghanistan."

France needs to start paying a price for its political attacks on America. The US should end all military cooperation with France. Joint military exercises should be eliminated.

France Backs Annan on 'Illegal' Iraq WarPARIS, Sept 17 (AFP) - France on Friday backed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's description of the US-led war on Iraq as "illegal", with Foreign Minister Michel Barnier saying that long-held stance was why his country had opposed joining the conflict.
"You well know that what explains our country's disagreement with the way the war was carried out was that it clearly did not at that time abide by international law and there was not a clear request from the United States to start that action," he said at a joint news conference with visiting New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff.
That was "traditionally" France's view from the start, he added. "We have always considered that it's international law that constitutes the framework for any action, notably against terrorism or for stability in the world," he said.
Barnier's comments added fuel to a debate over the legitimacy of the US-British invasion of Iraq that promises to loom large at the United Nations headquarters in New York next week when world leaders and ministers gather for the world body's 59th general session.
Annan threw the spotlight back on the issue and tore the skin off old transatlantic wounds when he told BBC radio Wednesday that the United States had failed to seek a needed second resolution before launching the war in March 2003.
"I've indicated that it was not in conformity with the UN charter from our point of view, and from the charter point of view it was illegal," Annan said.
The US government hit back by claiming it considered that a previous UN resolution passed four months before the conflict gave it sufficient authority to wage its action because Saddam Hussein had refused to surrender suspected stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
After a year and a half of US troop deployment in Iraq, no such weapons have been found.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, said Thursday that the UN chief should have kept silent on the topic.
The debate has re-ignited simmering animosity between the pro- and anti-war camps. France -- a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council along with the United States -- was widely perceived as the leader of the latter camp because of highly publicised arguments made at the time by Barnier's predecessor, Dominique de Villepin, questioning the US justification for a pre-emptive invasion.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a staunch supporter of the war, was particularly scathing of Annan's comment, saying he saw the United Nations as a "paralysed" body.
Goff, speaking at Barnier's side, emphasised that, unlike Australia, his country "was not a member of the coalition of the willing" and that it "has always regarded that as being critical in finding multilateral solutions to the world's problems".
"Any shortcomings of the United Nations can't simply be blamed on the institution itself but rather on the readiness of international community members to work through that institution," he said, adding that "it would have been helpful to have had a second resolution to clarify" the legality of the Iraq war.
Goff said that 61 military engineers from New Zealand who had contributed to the reconstruction effort in Iraq at the United Nations' request would be returning home this month after a year's tour of duty near the southern city of Basra.
"It is possible that defence forces in terms of reconstruction and humanitarian work may be redeployed in Iraq sometime in the future," he said. "But at the current time our major commitment is in the area of Afghanistan."

France needs to start paying a price for its political attacks on America. The US should end all military cooperation with France. Joint military exercises should be eliminated.

Click to expand...

Agreed------perhaps France would like to try to complain about Russia too!!

and mine, to find that I have someone to share the burden. You're being in another country, makes it much lighter. Wish we had some Aussies or Eastern Euros...

Click to expand...

I'm sure there are message boards dedicated to this subject. Perhaps we could mosey on over there if we feel like we're going to snap. There has to be others out there (aside from friends, family and neighbors. ). The french here are ok, as long as you don't work with them or associate with them in any way. They stick together like melting cheese curds on a hot plate of poutine.

what kind of cooperation ?
The time when USA gave to France weapons and equipment is over. Now, France's weapons and engines are french.

France is also no more in the military NATO, only in the politic org.

But anyway, the fact that all your grudge against France is stupid : Becasue a country had the courage to say "no, bad war", with several other countries and the world population, doesn't mean thgat this country is an ennemy :

What about the US during the Indochina war ? during 4 years, USA said that rance 's war was an ugly colonial war. But during these 4 years, France didn't think hat USA were ennemies......

The american pride and vanity. For a politic disagreement,they want to stop everything...

what kind of cooperation ?
The time when USA gave to France weapons and equipment is over. Now, France's weapons and engines are french.

Click to expand...

So I guess we can't even expect a phone call in the morning? Or a cute note and flowers? Just a big "f you"?

France is also no more in the military NATO, only in the politic org.

But anyway, the fact that all your grudge against France is stupid : Becasue a country had the courage to say "no, bad war", with several other countries and the world population, doesn't mean thgat this country is an ennemy :

What about the US during the Indochina war ? during 4 years, USA said that rance 's war was an ugly colonial war. But during these 4 years, France didn't think hat USA were ennemies......

The american pride and vanity. For a politic disagreement,they want to stop everything...

Click to expand...

You actively arm those whom the world considers a threat. You're deceitful little profiteers.

There are many nations in the coalition of the willing, and the UN resolutions against Saddam more than justify the invasion. Get your facts straight before you start spewing your poison.

So I guess we can't even expect a phone call in the morning? Or a cute note and flowers? Just a big "f you"?

Click to expand...

I spoke of MILITARY cooperation.....

for the phone call, if you want. Give me your phone number, I will call you. Oh ! don't forget, the "call of the morning" is at 9 AM...Paris hour: so, about 3 AM for you.....it doesn't disturb you, no ?

Useful Searches

About USMessageBoard.com

USMessageBoard.com was founded in 2003 with the intent of allowing all voices to be heard. With a wildly diverse community from all sides of the political spectrum, USMessageBoard.com continues to build on that tradition. We welcome everyone despite political and/or religious beliefs, and we continue to encourage the right to free speech.

Come on in and join the discussion. Thank you for stopping by USMessageBoard.com!